Gunpowder and Lead
by Child of the Gypsies
Summary: ON HOLDIn the wake of Shredder's defeat, Karai and Hun have formed an alliance of sorts. All seems well, but when Hun crosses some lines, how will our favorite ninja girl retaliate? My first fanfic, revamped. PLEASE R&R! An odd pairing, be warned!
1. Chapter 1

_HELLO FELLOW TMNT LOVERS! This fanfiction is inspired by the song Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert, as seen from the title, and by the episode where Hun comes to ask Karai why she was still loyal to the Shredder even though he was an alien. I do not own TMNT. If I did, I would be a millionaire and all my OCs(, who I am probably never going to actually get around to writing about,) would be part of the series._

_..._

_THUD! _The door to my boyfriend's cell slammed shut. I winced at the loud noise, my headache worsening. Something told me this wasn't going to be a pleasant visit. Then again, where any of them?

"I thought the guards were not allowed to leave us alone."

"I have friends here. Powerful friends." his hulking shadow loomed over me as he stood. "You sound nervous, Karai."

"It is nothing, Hun. I am fine. Your imagination must be playing tricks on you." I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Tricks, eh? Oh, someone is play tricks on me, but it isn't my imagination." Suddenly, his hand was clenched around my throat, constricting my airways and making it difficult to breath. Leaning forward, he whispered in my ear.

"What have you been up to, _dear_? This is the first time you have visited me in two weeks. Where have you been? Why hasn't my bail been payed yet?" All I could do was gasp for breath as his grip tightened. After a few seconds, he released his hold, and I fell to the hard cement floor.

"This is all that is left of the mighty Karai? Reduced to gasping for air on your knees like a weakling. You disgust me." I had been hearing comments such as those for some time now, though usually they only came out when my "boyfriend" was intoxicated. This was a first for his sober self. Taking a deep breath, I ignored the remark that reminded me so much of my late father, and stood.

"I have been assembling what is left of our Purple Dragons. The police had scattered them, but there are still a few left loyal to our cause."

"Most likely hoping to see that blue-masked freak you love so much." Hun scoffed.

"Those turtles killed my father and are the reason you are in here. If I do harbor any hope to see any of them, it is only out of a wish for vengeance!" _Why must I defend myself?_

"Hmm. You still haven't told me why I'm still in here."

"You said you have powerful friends here. You tell me." This comment earned me a hard slap across the face, pushing me off balance and onto the floor again, but it was worth it. I slowly got to my feet again, then said, "The bail cannot be paid. We do not have enough money. Not yet."

"How is that even possible? After all those raids and robberies, we should have a fortune!" he thundered.

"Do not look at me. It was your gambling and drinking that led us to such meager funds."

"Don't test me, Karai. You should have warned me sooner we were running low."

"I did. Many times! But you would not listen. The Dragons are hard at work, though. Soon, you will be free." Whipping around, Hun's eyes bored into mine, our faces almost touching. Roughly grabbing my shoulders, he shook me hard, each one punctuating each of his words.

"I had better. Or YOU'RE the one who will be paying the price." Anger filled me at this.

"How dare you! I am Karai, leader of the Foot Clan and daughter to Oroku Saki, one of the most respected men in the world! I will not be treated like this." I hissed back, pulling free. _What I wouldn't give to have my katana with me! _"For the past six weeks I have single handedly assembled the Purple Dragons and have been working the entire time to rebuild the funds you have lost us. All without ignoring the needs of the Foot Clan! And how have you thanked me for my efforts? Every time I have come to visit you, all you have done is undermine me or injure me. I will not tolerate this any longer!"

"WOMAN! You are mine, and you will serve me! And it is time you where put in your place!" Hun raged loudly, backing me into a corner and raising both of his gigantic, meaty fists. I steeled myself, ready for a fight. I became very conscious of the throbbing in my left cheek; I wouldn't have been surprised if it had already turned into a bruise.

"Umm, ma'am? Is everything alright?" a panicked voice sounded from across the cell. Leaning around my would-be attacker, I saw a new guard standing in the doorway, a shocked expression on his youthful face. The guard from earlier was being chewed out in the background by a gruff look older officer.

"Everything is fine. I was just leaving." My boyfriend glanced back at me, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll escort you out." the young man walked forward, stopping in between Hun and I. I could tell he was uneasy about what little he had just seen, and was afraid for my safety. So was I. Once we were out of sight of the older guard, he paused and turned to eye me worriedly.

"Ma'am, do you mind telling me if that there bruise was there when you got here?"

"Yes, I do." This silenced the kind young man, and we continued down the hall devoid of conversation.

The knot in my gut didn't ease until I was safely outside of the jail. Back in my jet black sports car, I thought back. I thought back to when dating Hun had actually seemed like a good idea. A wonderful idea, even. We were both in pain: him having lost his master, and I, my father. While we both found something to do in his absence, something just wasn't right. Naturally, we simply gravitated toward each other, seeking comfort in familiar faces. We had been enemies before, fighting for favor in the eyes of the Shredder. But now, with that dividing force gone, I found him to be a bit of a lost puppy dog, so to speak. It was endearing, in an odd, unexpected way. In truth, I had been sort of lost myself, but years of ninja training and learning from my father had taught me how to cope, and to hide what I couldn't afford for my underlings to see. Whether it was love or just a need for companionship, I wasn't sure.

Good things never last, though. Soon afterward, those accursed turtles ruined a large bank job his dragons were pulling. Half of his recruits were jailed, and his anger got the best of him. That night, for the first time in the entire course of our short romantic relationship, he took it out on me. Hun blamed me for his failure, for not sending the Foot Ninjas to help, despite his arrogant refusal that his dragons needed none. I fought him that time, talked to him, trying to calm him down. It worked, to an extent. He cooled off eventually, but things only got worse from there. The defeat triggered something deep inside of him, and Hun began drinking heavily and gambling non-stop. Our fights became more and more numerous, though I never harmed him, hoping he would soon be getting better, hoping he would soon come to his senses. But I was wrong. The man who had once been my friend was now gambling away half our fortune, coming in every night in either a drunken rage or about to pass out. Doubts came with his new habits, and he accused me of numerous affairs with anyone from Doctor Chaplin to Dragon Face to every single one of the turtles _and_ their rat master. Pushing past the hurt and anger, I was worried for him...worried he would loose his place among the gang...worried that one day he would loose control completely.

"I cannot live like this. Not anymore." I thought of my father. I could not continue like this and still claim to be his daughter. Something had to change.

_..._

_Sooooooooo... what do y'all think? This is a repost of a story by the same name I did earlier. I changed some things to make it more plausible, and raised the rating to T, for safety and the fact that one of my previous readers recommended it. I promise you, though, the next chapters are longer! So R&R!_


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own Karai, Hun, the pure incarnations of epicness known as the turtles, Splinter, Casey, or any other characters belonging to the Mirage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise._

_..._

An hour later, I pulled into my parking space in front of our apartment. It was days like this that I was extremely grateful for the labyrinth of secret entrances my father had decided to build in one of his more paranoid moods. One thing I did not wish to deal with was my foot ninjas seeing their leader with a huge bruise on her face. Slowly and wearily, I made my way to the hidden elevator doors that lead straight to my rooms. The cool air that blew on my face once inside was a welcome reprieve from the record high temperatures that were not uncommon that summer, though it did not ease the painful throbbing in my neck. Once inside, I sighed. _Safe and sound._ No prying eyes, no snitchy little Dragon thugs. If I knew Hun, he had them reporting everything to him. Every movement, every meeting, and every order, all went straight up to him. _He fears I will betray him. *Baka._ It took a surprisingly high amount of my training to avoid being tracked by some of his more skilled thugs. Then again, I had taught some of his goons myself.

Shaking my head, I pushed aside such dismal brooding and focused on getting through the rest of the day. All I wanted to do was lie down and sleep, but there was no time. There were important matters to attend to with the Foot later, along with the dragons, and I would soon be needed at my dojo, a small business I had started as a front through which I could recruit more ninjas. So far, it had worked well, but failing to report to train my young pupils would undermine any credibility I had managed to build up so far. It helped that I was fond of the little ones, too.

"First, a damage report." I murmured to myself, wincing at the slight pain that came with using the muscles on the left side of my face. I stood in front of a full length mirror, and began taking "inventory".

"My cheek looks pretty bad... but I can always say it was an accident..." I thought aloud to myself, leaning closer to examine the bruise. Pretty bad was an understatement. The whole side of my face was discolored and quickly swelling. Ever so gently, I brushed the wound with my fingertips.

"Ah!" I gasped. _That was not a such good idea. _Next, I moved the the area I was most concerned about: my neck. While the short sleeve turtleneck I had so wisely worn had prevented anyone from seeing where I was almost strangled, I couldn't wear it while teaching. Gingerly, I pulled the scarlet silk away from my neck. *_Ge! Crap it!_ The small area I had uncovered was several disgusting shades of blue, purple, and black. It was a irritated red closer to my jawline. Panicking slightly, I let go, then reached down and ripped off my shirt. What I saw shocked me. It was as if there was a giant, angry looking, blotchy, discolored tattoo of a hand wrapping around my slender neck. Enraged tears filled my eyes as they traveled from my neck to my shoulders, where similar, though much less serious looking, bruises of two large hands, one on each shoulder, rested. My right side was lightly bruised, too, from when I fell after Hun slapped me.

"That's it." I knew what I had to do. This couldn't go on any longer. I refused to be a victim. _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And scorned I have been. That muscle head is going to pay for what he has done. _First, I needed an ally. I needed someone I could trust, who would help me with my plan. _And I know just who to call_.

_At the Foot Training Arena..._

I stood over my sparring partner, a small grin gracing my face from my victory. I had only been training for two hours now, but I was already "sweating like a pig," like the Americans put it.

"All right, all right! Ya won, now get the heck off me." the short, foul tempered ninja hissed up at me. I just laughed and helped him up. "You're laughin' now, pretty boy, but I'll get ya next time!" causing me to laugh all the harder.

"Ethan, when are you going to learn? I am always going to beat you! I have been training for many more years."

"At some point the master must become the student, Haru! You'll see."

"I'm sure I will. Now go ahead and get yourself home. You have done well and trained hard."

"What? Come on, I want a rematch!"

"Nope. Sorry, *Bozu."

"Why not? You're staying."

"Unlike you, I don't have a report due to a very cranky professor tomorrow."

"I'm almost done!" My eyebrows shot skyward. "Well, I'm half way done... okay, so I'm half way done being halfway done." We stared solemnly at each other for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.

"Go on, go!" Ethan smiled, all quarrels with his mentor and friend forgotten. The young Foot Ninja in training jogged off to the locker room as I prepared for my next class. Just as I had all the mats set exactly the way I liked, Ethan shouted from the doorway of the men's locker room.

"Yo, Haru! Your cell's ringing! No name!" I spun around, confused. No one who had my number wasn't on my contacts... unless they had pressed *67... but why on Earth would anyone want to hide their identity?

"Yeah, hold on! I'll be there in just a second." Running over, I took my LG Chocolate from the nineteen year old boy.

"Moshi moshi! You've reached Nishimaru Haru! Who is it am I speaking to?"

"Haru? It's me. I need your help." Though it had been over seven years since I last talked to her, I recognized the familiar accent behind the hoarse, raspy voice.

"Ka... I mean, Mistress Karai. How may I be of service?"

"Haru, I need you to do something for me."

"Um... of course, Mistress. Whatever you wish." I was startled by how... informal the Foot Clan leader seemed. Sure, we had been friends, but that had been years and years ago, back in Japan.

"Go to my dojo on the lower east side. I am... unwell, and need someone I can trust..."

"Mistress, if I may, I don't exactly have time to go babysit some brats when I could be training the Foot you already have. Send some lower man to go." _What is with her? The power must have gotten to her head- I have much better things to do. _There was silence on the other end. When it finally broke, I almost wished it hadn't.

"Nishimaru, believe it or not, I realize exactly what the position is that you hold among _my_ ninjas. If I had wanted a lower man to train my pupils at the dojo, I would have _ordered_ them. But I do not want a lower man to do so. I want you to. Do not forget your place." Karai coldly toned. I could almost see my breath.

"Hai, Mistress. My apologies. Right away."

"And, Nishimaru? Once you have finished this day's lessons, report to my rooms. A maid will show you where once you enter the lobby."

_Back at Karai's Rooms..._

Hanging up the phone, I though of my next step. It would have to wait until dark, when my injuries could be plausibly hidden by my favorite hoody. All I could do know was wait. After a long, hot shower, I slipped into my comfiest pair of dark brown sweats and a gold spaghetti strap. I slowly made my way to my ridiculously large bed. Laying there, I pondered my next few moves, and tried rest as much as I could. Tonight would be very important.

_..._

_PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! I WILL GIVE YOU A NOT-FOR-REAL-FAKE COOKIE... yeah... Oh, and anything with the little * beside it has a translation on my profile. Just saying. ^^_


	3. Chapter 3

_I do not own TMNT, Karai, the irksome bottle blonde known as Hun, or any other recognizable characters that may or may not show up later in the fic._

...

I was woken by a loud knocking at my door. _I don't even remember falling asleep..._

"Ka...Mistress?" a deep, accented, slightly unsure sounding masculine voice sounded on the other side of the rice paper door. I recognized it immediately. Rushing forward, I quickly opened the door and pulled my startled old friend inside by the collar of his shirt. The sudden use of my shoulder muscles aggravated the ache, but I paid no attention.

"WHO..." the man yelled, before I covered his mouth with my hand. I briefly pondered the wisdom of leaving the hall lights off. It was pitch black, and knowing him, I was lucky he didn't attack.

"Silence, Haru. It is me."

"Mistress Karai! What is going on?" I crinkled my nose at his formality. We used to be best friends, at least until he joined the Foot. Then, of course, such attachments with a superior were quite unwise.

"I'll show you." Reaching past what I assumed was his right shoulder, I flipped on the light. It flickered on, and I could hear a faint buzzing. A few rapid blinks helped my eyes adjust, and I turned my head to stare squarely into Haru's gold eyes. Almost immediately, his expression changed from guarded annoyance to shock and confusion, and then to anger and disbelief. His eyes traveled from the bruise on my face to the markings on my shoulders right down to my calves, where old injuries of various origins were still visible, though somewhat covered by the chocolate colored fabric that hung to just below my knee caps. Looking up again to meet my gaze, an unspoken question showed on his face.

"I knew you had enemies, ma'am, but who... who could have done this to you?"

"Many _could_ have, and there are many who would," I raised an eyebrow at his choice of words.

"Well, who _did_, then?" he questioned testily. _He always preferred more direct approaches._ I sighed. I hadn't wanted to be frank about this, but beating around the bush was no way to gain his trust.

"Hun."

_Nishimaru Haru:_

Disbelieving, I looked back into her gorgeous green eyes, now missing so much of the warmth I knew from when we where young. Now, cold, hard emerald gems, blank and guarded, gazed back. It was impossible to read them, but there was no way she was lying. Why should she? Suddenly, I noticed how closely she was watching me, and I forced my face to become blank.

Silence.

"Okay." I said slowly. Her eyebrows raised slightly, as if to say "That's really what you're going with? Really?" _Lame, I know, but what am I supposed to say to that? _The silence from before took an awkward turn, at least for me. This was the last thing I had expected. _Correction, this wouldn't have even made dead last! I doubt I would have ever guessed this._ Karai stepped back and gestured for me to continue down the hall. She led me to the couch, and I slowly lowered myself onto the cushion beside her.

"Well?" she sighed softly.

"Well what?"

Looking up, Karai blandly toned "I suppose you think I'm weak? That I am not worthy of being our clan's leader?" I was surprised to hear a note of resignation in her voice, almost as if she wouldn't blame me if I said I did. Which, of course, would never be the case.

"No. Never. We are friends, remember?" it hurt how surprised she looked at these words. "Just start at the beginning. I'm here. Let me in." Nodding, her tale began.

_Karai:_

Two hours and half a tissue box later, Haru knew everything. And surprisingly, I was feeling much better. Sure, I was still sore, but I felt lighter, more at ease. He didn't think I was foolish, or weak, but instead offered support, and didn't shy away even when the tears began to flow. After a while, we sat quietly, enjoying the unique brand of white noise New York City offers. I felt him shift beside me, and I raised my head from his shoulder to look up at him.

"Better?"

"Yes. Thank you. I... I needed that." my friend(- it had been so long since I could truly call someone that, it almost felt wrong-) flashed me a quick smile, then turned serious again.

"What are you going to do? You can't stay..." he trailed off. I opened my mouth to reply, then stopped, not sure how to continue.

Slowly and carefully, I murmured, "I will go back to Japan. The Dragons do not abide there."

"What about Hun? Won't he come after you?" I tensed slightly, not wanting to tell him yet. Thankfully, Haru misunderstood.

"No worries. I won't let him touch you. Not again." There was something in his voice I could not place. Something unfamiliar, something I had only heard once before in Leonardo's voice, but still... even that had been different. Mentally shaking myself, I brushed it aside. Standing, I walked toward my bedroom. Haru was in front of me in a heart beat.

"Where are you going?"

"I have business to attend to, not to mention the Foot Clan will be having a meeting tonight. Why?"

"The Purple Dragons! If their boss is like that, it can't be safe for you..."

"Haru! I am perfectly able to handle a few talentless street thugs." I snapped, my voice hard and commanding. Instantly, I regretted it. Softening my tones, I amended, "It is sweet of you to worry, and I understand your concern, but I _can _take care of myself." Walking around him, I changed into a pair of old, baggy black caprices, grabbed a drab gray hoody, and slipped on an old pair of worn out converses. Next, I gingerly applied some foundation to cover the marks, the only make up that adorned my features(, which was still more than I was used to. There was hardly ever a real reason for me to wear it, and the few true friends I had from back in Japan always used to tell me I had no need for it). Satisfied with my appearance, I walked back into the main room.

"I'm going out for a while. Mind meeting me at the headquarters? I should be there at... 10 pm, at the latest." I asked nonchalantly, putting my keys on the table. A high octane sports car would not be needed where I was going.

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you are not."

"It is too dangerous." Haru held up a hand, preventing me from interrupting. "I _do_ believe you can take care of yourself, but back up never hurt anyone. And what if you where outnumbered?" I bit my lip. It would be comforting knowing someone had my back, but I didn't want him knowing everything. Not just yet. The situation was simply too fragile at the moment. No. Better to wait.

"No one will know it's me. This is not up for debate. I'm sorry, my friend, but I need you to go to the Headquarters. I have a very... important announcement. One I think you will agree with. You trust me, don't you?" I ended with a light, slightly teasing note to my voice.

"The question is, do you trust me?" Haru replied.

"Yes. That is why I came to you, and why I need you there for the announcement." he nodded slowly.

"What do you need me to do, _Mistress_?" bowing, he abruptly returned to the formalities, a tiny smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Gather the Foot. All of them, from the newest recruit to the oldest veteran. And make sure none of the Dragons are present."

"Does it not concern them?"

"Oh, it does. Which is why they are to be kept away. And extra guards need to be on duty, to make sure no one overhears us. They can watch the announcement on the monitors." Haru seemed puzzled, but agreed all the same. I walked with him as far as his car, and then we went our separate ways.

_Later, somewhere on Catherine Street..._

Tapping my foot impatiently, I looked at the clock on my new Blackberry. _8:40 pm._ My contact- or, rather, some cocky little Purple Dragon runt I had cornered earlier- had promised the gun dealer would be here by now.

"_Look for a tall red head. He'll set you up, no questions asked, ma'am," _he had said. _"He usually gets there at about 7:30 pm. But I wouldn't suggest approaching him for a bit. Likes to hang out a bit before taking customers. Always says it looks less suspicious, you know? Tells the cops he's waiting for his girlfriend to get off work. They never think to actually check... to busy with trying to deal with us, I guess."_ he ended, chuckling lightly. Shifting uneasily, I pulled the hood lower over my face. Sure, I could buy from a legal dealer, or even simply take what I wanted from the Dragon's stock, but neither of those options where to my liking. The prior would take too long, and was much too out in the open for my taste. And the second... if any of those idiots mentioned it to Hun... not to mention it could tarnish my reputation with the Foot. I knew the reasons, kept telling me it was just a back up, but even thinking about using one offended my_tokui, _my pride. Still, I knew that even after all my training, if he brought one, it would be up to chance then. Chance, and my unknown ancestors.

"Yo, man, what's up?" a loud, youthful male voice cried on the other side of the street. Looking up, I saw two teen boys with cocky swaggers greeting another, taller boy. Perking up, I watched them

carefully. The one who had first alerted me was a short Latino boy in a dark gray muscle shirt to show off the rather obvious fact that he worked out. His friend was quieter, lanky, and a good four inches taller. A black leather jacket hung over his broad shoulders. From this distance, it was hard to tell, but I was 98% sure he was Chinese, and probably lived in the area. Looking closer, I realized I had seen him before, at one of the Training Completion Ceremonies, where our new recruits officially enter the ranks of my clan. _Interesting company my ninjas keep._

"Oh, you know, the usual. The moon, my rent, gas prices. Take your pick, Raul." The hooded one said in response, drawing a chuckle from the other boy, but Raul just shook his head.

"Man, what kind of answer is that?"

"The kind only James would give." the second one said, speaking for the first time. James laughed, throwing his hood back to reveal a mop of red hair. Quickly, I crossed the busy street, and for the sake of appearances, began looking in the window of a restaurant about five yards away from the trio. I pretended to read the menu on the window as I continued to eavesdrop. After all, I still wasn't sure if he was the one.

"How are you, Lee? Family doin' okay?" the red head asked.

"Well, thanks. My nai nai will be coming to visit from Taiwan soon, so Mother keeps fussing over every detail. It is kinda entertaining, actually, until she gets to you. Keeps going on about how I need to study my Mandarin more."

"That sucks, but she's probably right."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. At least I'm somewhat fluent in my native tongue, unlike a certain midget we all know." Lee replied, glancing pointedly at Raul. The two commenced to argue, childishly shoving each other and whacking one another's heads. I sighed, leaned against the glass so that I faced the road, and checked the time on my phone once more. _8:55 pm. About an hour. Great._ It had taken me only ten minutes to get here, but I had no idea how long the... transaction would take, not to mention I had to get changed into something more appropriate. _Hmm. Wait, not wait, wait, not wait?_

"Come on, break it up, break it up! You're drawing attention." James hissed, his worried tone betraying his nonchalant exterior. The two cooled off quickly, looking slightly embarrassed, but showing no signs of leaving. _Not wait._ I decided, ignoring my improper English.

"Excuse me!" I swallowed my laughter as all three boys spun around, automatically attempting to appear cool at the sound of a female voice. Lee stumbled back a bit, before bowing ever so slightly. His colorful friends didn't seem to notice.

"Well, helloooooo, beautiful!" Raul smirked, giving me the "elevator eye". James rolled his eyes, but then joined in giving me appraising looks. He halted upon seeing the look on Lee's flaming red face. Nudging Raul, he sent me an inquiring look.

"Dude, what are you doing?" the Hispanic boy whispered.

"Showing proper respect to his Mistress." I answered coolly, a slight smile of approval hinting on my face as I looked at the nervous young man.

"YOU SCORED A...OW!" he started to yell, only to be silenced by a quick punch to the shoulder from the red head.

"You moron, not that sort of mistress! You know I'm with Christine. Who do you think I am, Tiger Woods?" Lee snapped.

"Well, what other kind is there?" he paused before he answered his friend, glancing at me. Any talk of the Foot was strictly forbidden, but today I would make an exception. I gave Lee a tiny nod.

"The kind that means a female master. In this case, a master of the _martial arts_." he answered slowly, stressing the last part meaningfully. James and Raul fell silent, and straightened warily, now aware just who they where in the presence of. Obviously, these two knew more than they were supposed to.

"You... you're..." Raul stammered, looking extremely embarrassed.

"Here to speak with James." I finished for him, smirking slightly as the red head jumped a bit, clearly unaware that I knew his name. "I understand you sell certain items to those who wish not to go through commercial means?"

"Um, yeah... I mean, yes, ma'am. Right this way." Suddenly business like, he led me to a car wisely parked well away from any street lamps. Lee and Raul followed at a distance. After a quick scan of the area, he popped the trunk. Knives and brass knuckles were placed near the front, but these were not what I was looking for. It was the guns that had been crammed in a close together as possible that interested me.

"What are you looking for? I got air guns, low power revolvers, high power revolvers, .9s, a double barrel shot gun. Any thing you want, I either have here, or I can get within two weeks, tops."

"Something small. Quiet, too. I need it be able to hide it behind my back, or under a pillow." I paused. "Do they make anything like that?" I asked hesitantly. James stared at me for a seconded, then smiled. Raul busted out laughing, only to be silenced by a quick elbow to the ribs from my ever loyal foot soldier.

"You don't know much about guns, do you, Miss..."

"Karai, please. And no. I never had any need to."

"And now, Miss Karai?"

"Now, I feel it would be an appropriate precaution." All three boys looked at me, various degrees of surprise, curiosity, and worry showing on their faces.

"Mistress Karai, why..."

"Later, Lee." I stopped him, sending him a look that clearly said this was not the time. James cleared his throat, then continued unperturbed.

"Well, if small is what you want..." he trailed off, reaching toward the back. He pulled out a shiny, miniscule revolver about the size of my palm. "Of course, all smaller guns wont be quite as loud as some of the larger ones, like a G19 or a G23. Still, only air guns are low volume without a silencer, and this baby is too small for one of those. Plus, it isn't very powerful- at least not compared to a regular handgun- so if you want a one shot kill, I would suggest not taking a sniper position. Best to get up close and personal. Better for defense in my opinion. You know, if you are trying to just maim someone, though you only get five shots before you have to reload. This is actually fairly good for a revolver. Some one can only hold three at a time, though non revolver clips can hold ten or more..." he rambled, then abruptly turned to me. "Which is more important?"

"Excuse me, what?"

"Which is more important? Silence or size?"

"Silence. Definitely silence." There was no hesitation. I knew I could deal with a medium sized weapon, as long as it was quiet. James nodded, then picked up two different guns, both dull black. "This..." he held up the smaller one, "is a .9. Put a silencer on it, and your good to go. Probably my favorite hand gun. Not too big, not too small, lots of power, but the back kick isn't too terrible. And this bad boy..." he then held up the other. It was larger, though there wasn't much of a difference in my eyes. "This is one of those air guns I told you about. A CO2 Air Pistol, to be exact. Quieter than traditional guns- no need for a silencer, really. Though, between you and me, it isn't any better than the .9. Money is no problem, I assume."

"Not at all."

"Good. Considering the fact you want a smaller weapon, I would suggest going with the .9, and buying a silencer to go with it. It will cost extra, but will be easier to hide, something you mentioned earlier."

"You're not trying to rip me off, are you?" I teased, pleased with how helpful he had been. _Not to mention he would make a useful asset were he to be recruited._

"What? No, no, never!" he said quickly, looking startled. Looking at the wide-eyed expressions of the others, I burst into laughter. Realizing it was all a joke, they joined in.

"Will this cover it?" I asked, still chuckling as I wrote out the check. James took one look at it, then his head shot back up, face expressionless. "Is there a problem?"

"Ma'am... Miss Karai, this is a check for $120,000." Raul and Lee both gasped, and ran over to look for themselves. Raul started muttering something about zeros, while Lee stared at me blankly.

"Yes, it is. I wrote it, remember?"

"Yeah, you did, but this is way too much! Even if I made you pay for the box of ammo that comes with it!" he objected, attempting to give the slip of paper back.

"I will decide if it is too much. I am the one who is paying you. Keep it. I have plenty more." Which wasn't a lie, necessarily. Sure, the Foot were on a leaner budget, but if all my plans panned out, neither I or the Foot would have money issues for a long time to come. "And may I make a suggestion as to what you do with the leftovers?"

"Yeah, sure!" James replied quickly.

"Get off the streets. Take that money and go to college. You can't be more than, what, eighteen?"

"Nineteen!" he interrupted. _That is still five years younger than me, igit._ I continued on as if he hadn't.

"Get a job if you need to. Just get out. Keep the guns, sell them, whatever." I looked him in the eye as he said that, making sure he knew I was serious.

"Why? There's good money in this gig, and my family and I need every cent. My father..." the look on his face as he uttered those two words- _So bitter!_- broke my heart. "I mean, I know I should probably go back to school, but I'm a big boy! I can take care of my self." he lowered his voice slightly before going on, " And with the whole Foot-Dragon alliance thing, I'm kinda on the right side. Over half my inventory gets sold to the Dragons. They aren't my favorite customers, but..." he ended the last part with a grimace. I nodded, knowing all too well how rough the thugs got if they didn't like what they heard.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that "right side" part, if I were you."

"What... what are you saying?" Raul and Lee moved in a bit closer now.

"I am saying there shall come a time when what you are doing shall become much, much more dangerous. And that time approaches swiftly. Thank you for your help." I whispered, slipping the gun into one of the inside pockets of my jacket. For the third time that hour, I checked the time. _9:37 pm. Twenty three minutes._Signaling for Lee to follow, I turned to leave. After a few paces, I stopped, and turned back to the other two boys.

"Oh, and James?"

"Yes, ma'am?" the young red head looked at me, wary again. Raul hovered behind him protectively. _Hes a good friend._

"No matter what happens, you may always rest knowing my ninjas will not hurt you. In our headquarters, you can find sanctuary. I promise." Without waiting for a response, I once more turned, and began walking as fast as I could without drawing unneeded attention. I sensed Lee trailed behind me, but couldn't tell what he was thinking. Half a block later, I hailed a cab, ordering him to take us to the Oroku mansion.

"Mistress?" Lee murmured hesitantly, sitting beside me. At a respectful distance, of course. I turned my head slightly in his direction to show I was listening. "What you said to James earlier... about the whole sanctuary thing? Will... will he really need it?" For a second, I was silent, not sure how much to tell him.

"Yes. No matter what he decides to do, yes." This quieted him, and he looked forward, only to again turn to me. "And you meant what you said? James... James'll be safe?" Lee questioned nervously. Turning my whole body to face him, I looked him straight in the eye.

"Yes. Every word. This may not mean much to one so new to our world, or knows of what Fa... the Shredder had me do under his reign, but I swear upon my honor, I will hold true to my word. Your friend will have shelter among the Foot." I did not wish, nor could I very likely afford, to lose the loyalty of my ninjas. And I truly did feel for the young red head. Turning my thoughts back to Lee, I found his face unreadable. He seemed to be searching me, then slowly, very slowly, a look of relief spread over his face. We spent the rest of the ride staring out the windows. Soon, we arrived, with 7 minutes to spare. We entered through the front. Loud chattering reached our ears, and I saw Haru was having them wait outside the 'auditorium'( which is really simply a large windowless room lit by traditional lanterns hanging from a high ceiling and a platform for giving speeches. Father never bothered with buying chairs, and I had only used it once so far, so the need did not seem great). A hush swept the hall as my ninjas realized just who had entered, starting in the front and quickly spreading to total and utter silence.

"Lee, join the others. It is important you hear this." I ordered as I headed for the elevator to my rooms. He nodded, and jogged over to join some of the other new blood. They converged on him much like jackals, but not a word escaped their lips until the elevator doors began to close. Just before they were completely blocked out, I witnessed one of them- a small, doll-like girl- lean over and whisper something in Lee's ear. He shook his head, giving her a lovingly reassuring look, and I automatically assumed she was Christine. Leaning against the cool metal wall, I vaguely remembered instructing the doll-girl as a possible candidate for my elite Foot, but her name continued to allude me. _The tryouts will be next week. I will have to find out then, if she comes. Either way, I hope she does. The girl is quite good._ I pondered this idea over idly but was interrupted by the opening of the doors. Sprinting to the back room, I entered the combination that opened the thick, solid oak doors, then scanned my iris to open the electrically charged iron ones. The small, dark room was lit by two candles, once on each side of a large picture frame. Rushing forward, I lit them before the two doors had a chance to close. I kowtowed to the now illuminated picture of my father, despite the small voice in the back of my head telling me he would not be entirely happy with what I was about to do. Slower now, I moved reverently toward his... my suit of armor. I reached for the waist guard, then halted, something feeling wrong.

"Knock-knock." Whirling around, I spotted Haru standing in the door frame.

"How did you get in here?"

"Your maids know the combination. I just asked them." he paused slightly, then continued. "They're all in the auditorium thing. You ready yet?" Opening my mouth, I began to answer, then stopped, and looked back toward the armor. He walked up behind me, and stared with me. We stood there for a few minutes in perfect silence. "That"s your father's armor." He stated.

"Its my armor now. It is my inheritance, my right." I responded, feeling like I was trying to convince him as much as myself.

"So why aren't you wearing it?" It was easy to tell he knew the answer. I knew the answer, and had known for some time. He just wanted me to say it. I sighed, then...

"Because I'm not him. I'm not my father. I'm not Oroku Saki, and I am certainly not the Shredder. The Foot know it, too, and it is time I stopped pretending." With that, I walked back out and began pacing. "What am I going to do, though? I can't wear this, and my normal garb won't cut it either." I muttered exasperatedly. Haru shrugged. _How helpful. _Sighing, I went to my closet, hoping for inspiration. Several pairs of several versions of my usual style hung on one side, and formal wear to help keep up my public image hung in the other. Some outfits similar to the one I currently wore were folded and stacked in neat files on small shelves near the ceiling, out of sight. My friend followed me in somewhat hesitantly, eying the clothes as if he had no idea so many could coexist outside a clothing store. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. As if thinking better of it, he once more closed it, and abruptly turned and exited. Pacing back and forth, I examined the contents of my closet, very dissatisfied.

"What are you even looking for?"

"Something to represent me! It has to be for me exactly what the Shredder's armor was for him. A symbol of power, authority, and preferably functional. It needs to help me command respect, and occasionally fear. Something..."

"Something like this?" Rushing out, I found Haru standing in front of a manikin. A long ago forgotten present, it was an odd melding of modern and ancient. A combination of beauty and strength, the manikin sported small, metal gauntlets the color of nickle, carefully decorated with delicate traditional carvings filled in with silver. A layer of dark blue purple - almost black- silk weave on the top of the forearms, reminiscent of that on samurai armor. They only encircled the arms, giving the wearer much better use of their hands. The shin guards were identical. A breast plate, shaped specifically for a woman's body in a fashion much like my other armor, was adorned with similar carvings and a silk sash of the same color as the threading, but with a lighter, indigo sheen.

"Will it work?"

"Is that a rhetorical question? Of course! I can't believe I didn't..." I trailed off, smiling happily. Moving to remove the armor from the plastic female, I paused, and turned back to Haru. "Leave."

"What?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him, then proceeded to explain.

"I can't get changed with you in here. Go on. I'll be out soon." I ushered him into the living room type area, then closed the door. When I came back out, I wore the armor over top a simple black pair of silk leggings, and a matching tunic. Haru looked up questioningly. I stared back levelly, and nodded. He smiled grimly, knowing something important was about to happen.

"It is time."

...

_I was actually going to make this longer, but it had been a while since I posted. Anyone know whats going to happen next? ^^ Hope it isn't too obvious. The exact address is on my profile with the translations. Also, 1) When she mentions her "other armor", she is talking about her CGI movie armor, simply because it looks cool. 2) No, actually, I have no idea how old Karai is, but 24 seemed like a good age. She doesn't look very old in the cartoons. And 3) the revolver James picks up is a Taurus 94, if any of y'all want a better idea of what it would look like. Any-hoo, REVIEW PLEEEEEEAAAAASE!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Well, y'all know the drill! I own nothing, yada, yada, yada, Mirage has all the rights, blah, blah, blah, all that jazz!_

...

I practically flew down the hall way, with Haru trailing behind me. Pausing, I stopped to catch my breath just outside the auditorium doors.

"Ready?" he breathed. I shook my head, wanting to appear completely and utterly composed.

"I'm surprised you're so fine with all this."

"Considering everything I've been through, I would say it is safe to say I'm used to secrecy. And I trust you." Haru looked me right in the eyes for the last part. Again, I heard that same unfamiliar tone in his voice, and saw it in his eyes. Unsure how to respond, I brushed it off.

"Lets go." Striding forward, I pushed open the double doors, interrupting my ninjas' low babbling. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to face me, and a new murmuring rose. Purposefully, I glided forward. The wall of humans parted, making a neat, wide path to the 'stage'. Swiftly and somewhat impatient, I ignored the stairs and climbed up, rounding sharply on my audience. Taking a deep breath, I began.

"I am not my... the Shredder. I will not pretend I can fill his shoes, nor that I believe exactly as he. Recently, I have come to a decision. Our alliance has come to the end. Tonight, we start the war on the Purple Dragons." Protests and confused shouts rose as soon as I was finished. Almost immediately, my ninjas began arguing amongst themselves. Glancing back, Haru and I exchanged looks. When I turned back, I saw a fight had started in the back. _That went over well._

"MUGON! SILENCE!" I waited for the noise to die down, and for my elite to drag apart the fighters. "Now, listen, all of you. Starting effective immediately, we are severing our ties. I am canceling all co-ops with the Dragons. None of them are to be allowed into the Headquarters." I paused, realizing I really was unsure of what to say. With everything going on recently, I hadn't given much thought to the actual speech. Thankfully, there was no need for one.

"Why are we doing this? They are good fighters, and missions are easier with extra muscle!" An extremely short ninja called from somewhere in the middle of the crowd. Out of the corner of my eye, Haru startled slightly, staring at the boy with a look of recognition written on his face.

"Step forward and state your name." I commanded. A path opened for him, and he reluctantly shuffled toward me.

"The names Ethan, Mistress Karai."

"Well, Ethan, it is very simple. The Purple Dragons are headed by a cruel, evil man and few, if not none, of them posses any honor. They are foolish and clumsy, and have had much too many run-ins with the law enforcement. Have you ever heard of one of the Foot being arrested? I know I certainly haven't." There was some murmured acknowledgments of this, even a few chuckles. The sound of scuffling floated from the back as one of the fighters wiggled and wormed her way out of an Elite's grip.

"Who are you to talk of honor? Look at who your father is!" She shouted angrily, an exotic accent much heavier than mine coloring her voice. Some of the other captive fighters nodded in agreement, and once more, a loud rumble ensued.

"That's right!"

"Yeah, who do you think you are?" The Elite coiled, ready to jump into action and silence them. Quickly, I raised my hand, and they eased back into more relaxed positions, though I noted their hands never left their weapons.

"Let her finish. I want to hear this." I commanded, staring intently as I tried to match her face with her name. The woman shifted uncomfortably, almost as if she would rather fight then explain.

"Well... well, you heard me! You all heard me! You're a gikunshi, and you know it! A lying hypocrite!" A complete and utter silence fell over us, so heavy and threatening it seemed as real and tangible as any dangerous beast. From what I could see, many wished to shout in outrage or approval, but were too afraid to even let their lips part to take a breath, let alone voice their opinions. When I didn't respond, she continued, flinging insults and accusations as fast as she could. My honor, my sanity, and my mental competence were all questioned in turn, and still no one spoke. I listened carefully, knowing full well that there never may be another chance for me to hear what some of my ninjas truly thought of me. It took five minutes for the woman to finish her tirade, at the end of which she was breathing heavily.

"This is what you think of me, Rin?" Stunned, she stumbled back, eyes wide. "Yes, I know your name, little kokuzoku. You caused much trouble for the Shredder, too, if I remember correctly." Pictures of the dark, cold torture chambers flashed through my head, and by the looks on many of my ninjas' faces, similar images were playing through their minds too. "Who am I to talk of honor, you ask? I am one who has seen _true_ dishonor, and have suffered from it along with many others. I have made many bad decisions of my own, before I truly understood honor, but what is done is done. I am in charge now, and I am _will_ set things right. If you don't wish to serve under me, then I suggest you leave. Now. But before you do, I have a question." Rin raised her chin defiantly, then slowly nodded. "If you have such a strong sense of honor, why didn't you leave long ago, when Oroku Saki was still here?" She didn't reply, but simply looked down, shamefaced. "You are just as guilty as I of a lack of adhering to the codes of Bushido. Help me make this right. I need you, all of you." Looking around, I surveyed the group before me. Some seemed receptive, others decidedly undecided. A fair few looked downright hostile. I paused, unsure how to go on.

"Go on, Karai. You have more friends here than you realize." Haru whispered, glancing meaningfully out into the crowd. Following his gaze, I saw Lee and the adorable Christine and their friends smiling up at me encouragingly, and Ethan was whispering furiously to three other boys, gesturing persuasively at me. After a few seconds, they glanced up, their faces softer and more open than before. These small gestures steeled me, and I pressed on.

"The Shredder has done many dishonorable things. Like all of you, I followed his orders, and like all of you, I still suffer from the guilt of many of my deeds. I am not asking you to overlook what either I or Oroku Saki may have... _have_ done to any and each of you."

"Then what are you asking, gikunshi?" Rin shouted, though less fiercely than before.

"Yeah, spit it out!"

"Talk straight!" A small chorus of angry and confused voices backed her.

"I am asking that you help me bring honor to the Foot Clan. Some of you are too new or young to have experienced the wrath of the Shredder, but many of you _are_. Do you really wish for us to continue on in that? Like it or not, this is the first step. And if it is the 'not', then feel free to leave. I will not tolerate disloyalty." I had began pleadingly, but ended on a hard note, glaring at the small group in the back. No one spoke, then slowly, they began to trickle out. Standing tall and proud, my chin tilted up in defiance, and watched. I counted the deserters as they left, not really registering faces. No need to try to make it personal. It was already personal enough. A brief head count revealed on twelve missing ninjas. Scanning the room, I was surprised to see Rin had stayed, and was standing apart from the rest, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Well... what next, Karai?" Haru asked.

"Now, we start laying the traps."

_..._

_Wow, writer's block sucks! I was just barely able squeeze that ending out. Oh, and in case anyone would like to know, the seven codes of Bushido are justice, courage, benevolence, politeness, veracity, honor, and loyalty. I think I speak for everyone when I saw that no one can say that the Foot followed any of those under Shredder, except maybe loyalty. Anyways, like usual, feedback is greatly appreciated, whether or not you have something good to say. But no flaming. Its just plain rude. I really need some advice on whether or not this is in character, though. I know, I know, "if you have to ask..." yada, yada, yada, but still. Oh, and I am still posting all of the translations on my profile._


	5. Chapter 5

**Rand0mness:** I OWN EVERYTHING!

**Conscience: **Liar!

**Rand0mness: **Shut up. Go back to cowering in the tiny corner of my brain that ISN'T completely and utterly insane.

**Conscience: **WHAT CORNER? IT IS ALL INSANE! Do you NOT remember the crackfic you started with tmntaddict?

**Rand0mness:** Okay, so the corner that is the least crazy out of all of them.

**Conscience:** Not until you revoke the previous statement. You don't have enough money to be sued.

**Rand0mness: **Fine, fine. I was joking, anyways. I own nothing, Nick bought it all. Y'all know all this.

_..._

_Monday, July 12, 2010_

_Dear Diary,_

_Last night I initiated the 2nd phase of my plan- severing ties. As we speak (or, rather, as I write), my ninjas are sabotaging a Purple Dragon bank job that we had been helping them plan for weeks. We are taking this slow, to give us time to prepare for their inevitable retaliation. The first few are going to be inside jobs by newer recruits. The Foot heads of each operation will scold them in front of the Dragons, to put them at ease, and the "serious offenders" will be promised a visit with me to decide their punishment. Of course, like I told Haru, these will have to be great actors. For this to work, they need to portray a sizable amount of fear and shame. Though having the masks on should help._

_It is time to leave. I have a charity dinner to go to- must keep up the public image. Haru will be escorting me. The way he looks at me some times... but now is not the time. Asu dearou mi-to watashitachi o buji._

_Tuesday, July 13, 2010_

_Dear Diary,_

_The dinner went extremely well, but was incredibly dull. As usual, I complimented, I mingled, I smiled graciously, and spoke little and said even less. They had me give a surprise speech(-apparently I won the award for most generous philanthropist or something-), which was basically a jumble of large, glittering glass-jewel words (which only have of those sparkly little trophy wives may have understood), and a couple of promises for further donations. I almost wish those turtles had come crashing in, like that time at my father's dinner. Almost._

_The only interesting part was when Haru asked me to dance. He was pretty good, though where he learned it I have no clue. It was the oddest thing, though. When we were dancing... for the first time in a long time, I had butterflies. Millions of little butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. I had almost forgotten... the only time I clearly remember having that feeling was when I first saw Leonardo._

_Speaking of the terrapins, guess who helped with the sabotage last night? Ah, the irony! The mission was a complete dud, which I am sure the Turtles are gloating over as we speak. I still remember the look on the commander's face as he came in to give the status report. Haru and I were discussing which mission we would best be able to entrust with Rin when he walked in, back rim rod straight and face so grave you would think someone had died. "Mistress Karai, I have terrible news." he said. "The Turtles were there, waiting for us. I'm sorry, but the bank job was a failure." For about three seconds, no one spoke, then we all burst out laughing, even Rin. I don't think I've laughed so hard in over a year! It felt good. Asu dearou mi-to watashitachi o buji._

_Friday, July 15, 2010_

_Dear Diary,_

_AI-YAH! I can't believe how busy I've been. Well, I can, but whether or not you can is up for questioning. We successfully screwed up two more missions, prevented twenty Purple Dragons from being released on bail, provided protection for several witnesses (without them knowing, of course), relocated James and Raul (who had apparently done a lot of the deliveries for him), oh, and found out that Hun's trial is in ONE WEEK! Not much time, but time enough. Not that it matters at this point anyways. I can either lament over how much more time I would like to have, or I can use the time I do. It will be difficult to document the upcoming days, but I will try my best._

_Tonight, we only have one joint mission scheduled with those Dragons fools. It is a bit earlier than we planned, but I am having Rin lead the Foot ambush. The past few days she has proved to be a loyal ally and an excellent strategist. And a caring friend. She is passionate, strong, and a intelligent. I have big plans for her. Christine, Lee, and Ethan will be with her._

_Not, however, Haru. BAH! That boy... man is so stubborn. He refuses to leave me alone when we reveal to the Purple Dragons where our true allegiance lies. Something about wanting to make sure I am safe. For Pete's sake, I'll be in the Foot Headquarters, guarded by hundreds of ninjas AND my elite. He is still looking at me funny, too. Even more often now, and yet I still can't seem to figure it out. The only thing it could be... but no, no, I must be overreacting. That is all, overreacting. Yes... Asu dearou mi-to watashitachi o buji._

_Saturday, July 16, 2010_

_Dear Diary,_

_The ambush was a success. The Dragons are in chaos. Foot working furiously to frame any and all Dragons and their connections. Training nonstop and helping Haru and the others teach the new recruits. Still working down at the dojo. Haru isn't happy about it. Says it is too dangerous, too out in the open. Lee agrees, but Ethan, Christine, and Rin all say I can take care of myself. Knew there was I reason I liked them. Must go. Writing on a limo on the way to an investor's mansion. Forgot to mention all the important meetings to keep them happy. Don't want lose any funding. Too much to do in too little time. Asu dearou mi-to watashitachi o buji._

_Wednesday, July 20, 2010_

_Dear Diary,_

_Tired. So tired. It is 4 flipping o'clock in the freaking morning, and I just got in. Two days until the trial, and I can't help but worry. What if he worms his way out of this one? What then? He will come for me, I know it. That, at least, is obvious. But how will he do so, and what will I do when he does? … Bah, it is too late to think. In the morni_

_Forgive me, I fell a sleep. Three hours is not much, but better than none. I would finish my entry, but there is no time. Maybe tomorrow... Asu dearou mi-to watashitachi_ _o buji._

_..._

**Rand0mness:** YES! SHE HAS A DIARY! Why? 'Cause I was bone tired of regular 1st person. Oh, and unless I made a major grammatical error(, which I probably did), _Asu dearou mi-to watashitachi_ _o buji_ roughly translates into _Tomorrow will meet us again in safety_. Just a random thing I thought would be neat to put at the end of each entry. I tend to always end my diary/journal entries with a certain phrase, so I figured it wouldn't be too strange. Sorry if it seems a weird place to end, but I am having some trouble thinking of how to do this next part. There may be another diary chapter, there may not be. *shrug* And, actually, yes, I am a supporter of the whole Karai-Leo thing.

**tmntaddict: **Which will be further proved in the sequel that I get to write. (with her approval on everything, of course) Be jealous.

**Rand0mness: ***rolls eyes* Anyways, review, review, review! Please? I'll love you for ever and ever! *puppy eyes*


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